Kuwait resumes flights after severe dust storm

Country's Ministry of Interior warned of poor visibility after similar storms smothered Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

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  A man walks past the Kuwait Towers shrouded in heavy dust, in Kuwait City. EPA

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  For the second time this month, the Kuwaiti capital suspended all flights on Monday because of the dust. EPA

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  People walk on a street shrouded in heavy dust in Kuwait City. EPA

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  Cars on a road during heavy dust conditions in the Kuwaiti capital. EPA

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  Authorities gave a warning about reduced visibility in the city. EPA

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  Birds flock in an empty car park during the sandstorm. EPA

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  Heavy dust advances towards the shore in Kuwait City. EPA

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  A man walks past the Kuwait Towers. EPA

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  The sandstorm approaches Kuwait City. AFP

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  Footage from the country shows sparsely populated streets. AFP

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  Women film the storm in Kuwait City. AFP

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  The sandstorm turns a street orange. AFP

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  Pedestrians cross a road during the severe dust storm. AFP

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  Sandstorms have engulfed parts of the Middle East in recent weeks. AFP

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  The storms can put human health at grave risk, weather officials say. AFP

Flights and air traffic have resumed at Kuwait International Airport following severe weather caused by a dust storm, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority said on Monday.

Civil aviation officials announced the return of air traffic at 5.50pm local time after suspending flights for nearly three hours.

Earlier on Monday, the skies in Kuwait turned orange as a severe sandstorm blanketed the country, forcing airport authorities to suspend all flights for the second time this month due to the weather phenomenon.

“Commercial flights will be rescheduled because of current weather patterns, while air traffic will resume normally only once the dust storm subsides,” said Emad Al Juluwi, Kuwait Civil Aviation's deputy director general for Air Navigation Services Affairs.

Kuwait's Ministry of Interior warned all citizens and residents on Monday of the unstable weather caused by the dust storm and of poor visibility on the roads for most of the day.

Sandstorms have engulfed the Middle East in recent weeks in a phenomenon experts say could become more frequent because of climate change, putting human health at serious risk.

At least 4,000 people were taken to hospital two weeks ago in Iraq with respiratory issues, where nine sandstorms have hit the country since mid-April.

Dust storms have also smothered Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and parts of the UAE — with more feared in the coming days.

The National Centre of Meteorology issued a warning that a number of Saudi cities will be affected by strong winds that may lead to dust storms.

The agency said the areas of Riyadh and the Eastern Province could be hit, along with Tabuk, Makkah and Madinah.